Anthony Segotta

I lived next door to Anthony -- don't call me Tony -- Segotta from kindergarten until the time I went on my mission, and I've hardly seen him since.

The first window that I witnessed breaking with my own eyes was Anthony's bedroom window. It just happened to be in right field foul territory at the baseball field that was spray painted on our street. I don't remember who hit it, but I do remember working hard after that to become a dead-pull right handed hitter.

He was the most trustworthy kid on the block, as far as most of the adults were concerned. If there was a fight or an argument or a disagreement about facts, he was consulted and his words were always the truth -- regardless of the circumstances.

I used to trade baseball cards with him on a regular basis. I was a sucker for any card of a Giants player and he liked the Cardinals. He was very good at trading and I was impatient and only cared about the Giants, so he ripped me off many, many times.

In middle school, I think he was the only kid on the block who did his homework, his brother Jake included. Because he always listened in class and did his homework, a few years later he was able to help a bunch of hapless seniors make it to graduation day. Parents on the street always approved of trips to the library, as long as Anthony was leading the study session.

The only time I ever saw him waver as far as school was concerned was when his favorite aunt died during our junior year in high school. As I recall, he actually got some Cs, which was way below his standard.

It was during this time that Anthony told the only lie I am aware of him telling. He was driving his mother's HUGE car -- I swear cars 20 years ago were the size of suburbans -- west on Concannon Blvd. This was when Concannon -- thank goodness for Google Maps because I had forgotten all these street names -- dead ended into Murdell Lane.

Anyway, he was going way too fast ran through a barbed wire fence and into a field. I believe he used the old "it happened in Lucky's parking lot" excuse. Because he was a truthful young man, his story was never questioned. I'm sure his brother Jake held it over his head for years, however.

After high school, I took some law enforcement classes at a local community college with Anthony. I have thought about us doing that many times since. He did it and followed through. He works in law enforcement in Contra Costa County, I believe.

I took the classes because I wanted to show my parents I was doing something productive with my life. My heart was not in it, though.

Anthony is just good people -- as they say around these parts. I haven't spoken with him in years, but I know wherever he is he is obeying and enforcing the law.

Oh, and one other thing. He could grow mean mustache in high school and it looks like he's still got it.